Cemetery Archives - Lost In Michigan

The Haunted Cemetery On Dice Road

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Haunted Places .

In the northwest corner of Saginaw county, north of Hemlock, there is an urban legend of a girl that haunts Dice Road Cemetery, like many urban legends, I think there is some truth that started the story.

As the story goes, 5 year old Anna Rhodes Fazio was living in Italy in 1816 with her family, when her father went insane, and set their house on fire, killing himself and her mother. Young Anna survived the fire, and sailed to America, and lived with her aunt in the area north of Hemlock. They became friends with the local Indians. Anna and a young Indian boy named Dark Hawk grew up together.

As Anna grew older she fell in love with Jonathan Millerton, and they were married, by the time Anna was 17. shortly after they two wed, Anna’s aunt died, and Jonathan had to sail the Great Lakes for his lumbering pursuits, leaving Anna alone. Dark Hawk became jealous of Jonathan, and began to sexually assault Anna, driving her into insanity. That summer a large storm swept across the state, and when Jonathan’s ship did not return she, feared him dead and committed suicide. Even more tragic, Jonathan returned home after she died, his ship sailed to a few other ports and delayed his return.

If you visit this cemetery please be respectful and follow posted rules.

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Irish Hollow Cemetery

Posted on August 11, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, upper peninsula .

Rockland is located in the western Upper Peninsula. The town was an old mining town where several Irish Immigrants came to mine. Southeast of town, off US-45 is the Irish Hollow Cemetery. It sits in the woods and the tombstones are surrounded by tall grass and ferns. It may be a little overgrown but it is a beautiful old cemetery.

According to MIGenweb, A cemetery was dedicated on July 4th, 1892, ( I am not sure if it was this one or another nearby cemetery, since it does not specify which one) A little girl from town ran up to the ceremony to tell the people the town was on fire. Her parents let her stay home, instead of going to the dedication. She said she found a firecracker and lit it in her home. When she threw it out the window, it caught the curtain on fire and spread through the town.

After the mines closed in the early 1900s the population of the town declined and about two hundred residents live there today. If you go through town and you like old cemeteries be sure to check out the Irish Hollow Cemetery.

If you love exploring the Upper Peninsula I hope you will take a look at my new book Lost In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula available on Amazon HERE

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Jacktown and the Cemetery

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Ghost towns .

The Bland Cemetery sits in the woods along County Line Rd./ Oviatt Rd. southeast of Empire in the Leelanau Peninsula. It is named the Bland Cemetery because many of the people buried in it have the last name of Bland. It is also shown on some maps as the Jacktown Cemetery and is what remains of the old railroad town. It was built along the tracks of the Empire and Southeastern Railroad.

It is rumored the town died off after the well went dry but it is more likely it disappeared after the railroad went out of business and the tracks were removed in the 1920s. In Larry Wakefield’s book Ghost Towns of Michigan. He tells the story of an elderly man looking for the long forgotten town in the woods. He found out that Oliver Bland who lived in the town had lost his wife and baby during childbirth and was institutionalized in the state mental hospital in Traverse City.

I visit a lot of old cemeteries and this is the first time I saw a small metal grave marker for an infant. It is sad to see a marker for a baby that only lived for a month. If you are into old cemeteries and out for an adventure be sure to check out the Bland Cemetery and who knows maybe you will see the spirit of Oliver Bland.

PS. If you like reading about Michigan ghost towns, be sure to check out Larry Wakefield’s books. They were published several years ago and many locations have changed since they were published but they are a fascinating read. You can see them on Amazon HERE but you could probably find them in a used book store.

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The Dreadful Reality of the Downtrodden at Eloise Asylum

Posted on May 31, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Detroit .

one of the few remaining buildings from the Eloise complex.

Some say that the Eloise Asylum near Westland on Michigan Ave. is one of Michigan’s most haunted places, I am not sure about that claim, but I would say it’s one of Michigan more interesting places, with a lot of history both good and sad.

The place began in 1839 when a log cabin known as the Black Horse Tavern and its property was converted into a poor house and 35 of the overcrowded tenants at the Wayne County poor house in Hamtramck were transferred to the newly constructed buildings. For years it was known as the Wayne County Poor House until a post office was opened in 1894 and named after Eloise Dickerson Davock the daughter of Detroit’s postmaster.

In 1913 there were three divisions: The Eloise Hospital(Mental Hospital), the Eloise Infirmary (Poorhouse) and the Eloise Sanitarium (T.B. Hospital) . Over the years the complex continued to grow with about 10,000 residents at its peak during the Great Depression. It had its own police and fire department, railroad and trolley stations, bakery, amusement hall, laundries, and a powerhouse. It also had many farm buildings including a dairy herd and dairy barns, a piggery, a root cellar, a Tobacco curing building, and employee housing.

Eloise was one of the first if not the first hospital to use x-rays for diagnosis performed by Dr.Albarran. Patients came from Detroit and other communities to have x-rays done. It also housed the first kidney dialysis unit in the State of Michigan and was a pioneer in the field of Music Therapy.

the old Eloise Cemetery on Henry Ruff Road.

The other part of Eloise that remains, are the cemeteries and with a complex that had about 10,000 people living there, death was a regular occurrence. There were a few different locations that the bodies of the patents and residents of the poor house were buried. One of the cemeteries is about a mile away down Henry Ruff road and is nothing more than a field with small stone markers engraved with only a number for the body buried below. It seems rather cruel and inhumane that a person is remembered as a number and not even a name was placed on the marker. They used the cemeteries up until 1948 after that a law was enacted to use the bodies as cadavers for medical training. ( was not able to get a pic of the markers since the cemetery is fenced off and says no trespassing, and I really don’t want to go to jail)

The main building left standing from the former Eloise Complex

The farm operations ceased in 1958 and some of the large psychiatric buildings were vacated in 1973. The psychiatric division started closing in 1977 when the State of Michigan took over the psychiatric division. The general hospital closed in 1984. Many of the buildings are gone and some of the property has been redeveloped into a golf course and condominiums. There is a Michigan Historical Marker near the parking lot.

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Decoration Day

Posted on May 26, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery .

After the Civil War, American began decorating the graves of loved ones killed in the war. An association of Union Civil War veterans, the Grand Army Of the Republic, began promoting May 30th, as Decoration Day. A day to remember the soldiers that gave their life during the war.

By 1890 each state had officially declared Decoration Day a holiday. After the two World Wars most Americans began calling the day Memorial Day and a day to remember the fallen Military heroes. In 1968, the U.S. government passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which put major holidays on specific Mondays and officially declared the last Monday in May as Memorial Day.

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The Old Burial Ground

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery .

A few blocks north of Downtown Monroe on Monroe Street is and old cemetery known as The Old Burial Ground. It was established in 1794 and is the oldest cemetery in the city and one of the oldest in the Great Lakes State. The cemetery is home to the graves of many early settlers, including soldiers who fought in the War of 1812. It is also the final resting place for some of Michigan’s earliest Europeans that were instrumental in the formation of the Michigan Territory including Laurent Durocher, Francois “Francis” Navarre, and Capt John Paxton. Many victims of the cholera epidemic of 1832 are buried in the cemetery.

I wonder how many cars pass by the old burial ground and the people riding inside do not know the history of the Old Burial Ground. If you like old cemeteries and reading old headstones, this is an interesting place to visit.

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The Heroes in Pinery Cemetery

Posted on May 22, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, upper peninsula .

A few miles northeast of L’Anse in the Upper Peninsula is the Pinery Indian Cemetery. The land has been used as a Native American burial ground since the 1600s. Many of the graves have spirit houses. They provide a place for loved ones to leave food, arrows, beads, and items needed for the deceased to travel to the spirit world.

I have been to the national cemeteries in Holly, Grand Rapids, and Battle Creek and I have seen veterans sections in other cemeteries. I usually see American flags next to the headstones. It was inspiring to see an American flag next to the spirit houses. It is a reminder that people came from all walks of life and different backgrounds and religions to fight and defend freedom in this country.

If you love exploring the Upper Peninsula I hope you will take a look at my new book Lost In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula available on Amazon HERE

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One Eye Pete

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, people .

I was roaming around the Monroe Cemetery located north of Greenville. I saw a tombstone with the words ONE EYE PETE that caught my attention. On the other side is the name of Corp. Peter Nelson.

From what I could find on the internet Peter Nelson came to the United States from Denmark to avoid conscription into the Danish army. He ended up in the Civil War instead. He got the nickname One Eye Pete because he had lost an eye at a young age when a animal swiped at his face and damaged his eye with its claw.

As part of his severance pay from the military he was offered what he saw as swampland in Illinois. He felt you couldn’t grow anything there of he refused it. Today it is part of downtown Chicago, Il. He came to the Greenville area and died in 1904 and was laid to rest in the Monroe Cemetery.

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Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery .

The Oak Hill Cemetery sits east of downtown Pontiac. It is where the Buckland Memorial Chapel stands. The old English style stone chapel was built in 1898. The cemetery contains the remains of six veterans of the Revolutionary War and well over 27 veterans of the Civil War, including General Israel B. Richardson, Michigan governor Moses Wisner, and General Joseph T. Copeland

Michigan has some of the most beautiful little chapels in cemeteries. Whenever I see them I always think they would make a beautiful wedding chapel, but I am thinking most brides do not want to get married in a cemetery.

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The Historic White Lake Cemetery

Posted on November 4, 2022 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in autumn, Cemetery .

I drove past the historic White Lake Cemetery and had to stop and get a pic of the trees showing off their autumn color under the blue sky. A historical marker stands in the old cemetery and gives a little history

This cemetery was established by Robert Garner when his nine-month-old child, Mary, died in 1837. White Lake Road, which runs past it, was once an Indian trail. Garner, a pioneer of White Lake Township, was involved in the establishment of the First Presbyterian Church of White Lake and was the superintendent of a pioneer sabbath school in White Lake. Buried in the cemetery are many of the pioneer families of the township, including the Garners, Seeleys and Voorheises. Also buried here are twenty-eight Civil War veterans and just over forty veterans of succeeding wars. In 1856 the cemetery was formally deeded to the Board of Health of White Lake Township.

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